DON MCLEAN SLICING UP RUMORS ABOUT `AMERICAN PIE'

DON MCLEAN SLICING UP RUMORS ABOUT `AMERICAN PIE'

LOS ANGELES (Wireless Flash) -- Don McLean hopes this will be the day the rumors die about his 1970 No. 1 song, "American Pie." McLean is miffed because of an urban legend that claims "American Pie" was the name of the plane which crashed while carrying Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and the Big Bopper. McLean says the rumor is bogus and claims he was the first person to use the phrase "American Pie." He says to imply anything else "...diminishes [his] contribution...[and] suggests the song is more about Holly's memory that it really is." Although McLean hopes to finally put the rumors at rest, you won't be able to avoid "American Pie" for the next few months thanks to the upcoming comedy flick of the same name and the recent release of Weird Al Yankovic's "Star Wars" parody set to the melody of "American Pie."

CONTACT: Don McLean; Arrange through David Brokaw; LA; (310) 273- 2060